Prolonged survival in 2 nonagenarians with heart failure and severe aortic stenosis.
The prevalence of severe aortic stenosis is 6% in persons 85 to 86 years of age according to a Finnish population-based report. In the United States, the population over 80 years old is projected to rise from the current 7 million to 25 million by the year 2050. Thus, aortic stenosis in aging adults, and the management questions it poses, will be increasingly common. We report herein the cases of 2 nonagenarian patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who far outlived the natural history of this disease. We suspect that we are seeing a change in the prognosis of senile aortic stenosis as a result of advances in the geriatric care and management of advanced heart failure. Furthermore, the unusual longevity of these patients was made possible by the remarkable holistic care given by a dedicated, altruistic caregiver who had training in psychology, theology, and nursing.
Lui
Charles Y
CY
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona 85724, USA. cylui@utmb.edu
Alexander
Nicole
N
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017028:Caregivers; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012067:Religion; D017741:Survivors
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents